


Between First Snow and Cup Noodles

by Gamadhoti



Category: Naruto
Genre: Awkward Flirting, First Love, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Gen, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Naruto has PTSD, Post-Fourth Shinobi War, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-13
Updated: 2020-10-06
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:33:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26449345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gamadhoti/pseuds/Gamadhoti
Summary: The war is over. People are coping, rebuilding, slowly healing from injuries, trauma, loss. Naruto is a hero now. Naruto is also lonelier than ever before. But in these days of preoccupation, he starts noticing a certain white-eyed girl and feels something pulling at his heartstrings. Snippets of Uzumaki Naruto's life from the days following the end of the Fourth Great Shinobi war.
Relationships: Haruno Sakura/Uchiha Sasuke, Hyuuga Hinata/Uzumaki Naruto, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Nara Shikamaru/Temari
Comments: 19
Kudos: 58





	1. An Empty Cage

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first time I'm posting something here. I finished the Naruto and Naruto Shippuden anime series recently, and while I loved it all, the symbolism, the intricate details, there were some things I wish Kishimoto and the makers of the show had gone deeper into, like how the characters dealt with the aftermath of the war (because let's not forget, they are all just 17!!! and have never had to deal with war before, in fact it is mentioned multiple times that they were all born in relatively peaceful times and were unequipped to deal with such conditions). Also, I don't think The Last: Naruto the Movie did Naruto and Hinata's relationship justice, I mean, the girl has pined for Naruto for 7 years at this point and Naruto has never noticed her that way, and just one dream-genjutsu later, he starts falling for her enough to confess his love to her by the middle of the movie?! (And please, the movie portrays her as a damsel-in-distress and Naruto as the hero, but Hinata is STRONG as Naruto himself says near the beginning of the movie, she fights Pain ffs!!! Toneri capturing her and throwing her in a cage makes no sense). The animation of the movie is BEAUTIFUL though, so I decided, for my own peace of mind, to create a more...I guess enduring(?) story spanning the timeskip between the ending of the war arc and The Last: Naruto the movie, dealing with Naruto dealing with everything that happened and falling in love.
> 
> *deep breath* Rant over.
> 
> ENJOY!!!

The steady dripping continued. It brought back the stench of blood and metal, a blurry night edging closer and closer to death, and a beautiful dawn that was convincing enough to be Heaven. It brought back the tears brimming in the raven-haired boy’s eyes, lying beside him. They had fought. And they had died. At least, that’s what he had thought at first. But the searing pain in his arm, numbing the throbbing in his body told him he was alive. When the fuzziness in his brain cleared a bit, a sobbing Sakura-chan had come into focus, a green halo making her emerald eyes flash with sorrow and pain. He hadn’t wanted her to see like this, yet he wouldn’t help but be grateful to her. He still had promises to keep. He couldn’t die just yet. And, they had just finally got Sasuke back. He couldn’t die just yet. They had to undo the Infinite Tsukiyomi. Hadn’t he been fretting about it to Sasuke last night, while they were still debating whether they were dead or not? Sasuke had wished for death. He told him clearly and succinctly that if he could wish for death, he should live and help him instead. He had vowed to stop him if he turned on them again, he had promised Itachi. He couldn’t die just yet.

Too many promises.

But then, days later, he saw the gravestones, the tears, the familiar names, freshly engraved. They shouldn’t have died just yet, either.

He knew it wasn’t his fault. But he couldn’t help the uneasiness that kept creeping up his legs, wanting to drag him down into the earth. And he couldn’t stop the nightmares. He lay in the hospital bed, wishing Ero-sennin were there, just like he had been that last time Sasuke and he had fought at the Valley. Naruto had woken up clutching the battered and scratched headband and felt like he was missing a limb. Ero-sennin had called him a fool and told him to forget Sasuke, but had smiled and given him hope for finding that lost limb again when he had naively said he would be a fool all his life if need be. He smiled bitterly, remembering. He had had to actually lose a limb to get Sasuke back. Four years. He imagined Jiraiya perched on the windowsill, watching him from the corner of his eyes, grave and concerned, but with a steady stream of flippant, relaxed words. He really did have a way with words.

. . . . . . 

Water dripped down in there, like a ticking clock.

It filled the silence and amplified, making the cellar seem larger and emptier.

He had gotten used to the flashing eyes and the deep rumbling resonating inside, even enjoyed that snarky banter. So much so, that the darkness beyond the Six Path’s gate seemed to loom and threaten to engulf him. This was different from when he had given himself up to Kurama’s chakra, felt his hatred flowing into him and taking over his consciousness. This was….hell. That hell of solitude Obito had talked about. The loneliness that haunted him externally as a child, had now seemed to manifest itself within, and there was nowhere to run. He knew Kurama would wake up. He decided to wait.

He developed a habit of sitting in front of Kurama’s cage and rambling on about things. It began as random facts, people coming to see him. but as the days dragged on without a response, without the slightest hint of movement, he started talking about things that mattered. The nightmares, the loneliness, the guilt, the fear.

Hiding the darkness boiling under his skin from others was easy, Naruto had done it all his life after all. But he had never been very good at lying to himself. The days passed, a blur of bright blue eyes and flashing smiles on the outside, thanking his friends and grumbling at Tsunade-no-obaachan fussing over him, while images of the war, rows of casualties, Neji dying in his arms, Obito crumbling into ash before him, his father smiling, stirred up a fury of anguish and sadness within him.

He felt like an empty cage, howling with the wind that was the aftermath of war.


	2. Recovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Three months had passed. Sasuke had left almost two months ago. Naruto had gone to see him off.

Three months had passed. Sasuke had left almost two months ago. Naruto had gone to see him off. It had been one of the three times he had seen him after the incident. The second time he had visited Sasuke, he had been in prison, restrained in a straightjacket, sharingan and rinnegan sealed with fuinjutsu-reinforced blinds. It ached him to see Sasuke that way, but he hadn’t said anything. Sasuke hadn’t remarked on his situation either. He had, unlike his nature, asked about Naruto’s injuries though. And Naruto had begged him to reconsider getting the prosthetic, he knew Sasuke would be compatible with Hashirama’s cells, just as Obito, and ....Uchiha Madara had been. He knew both Sakura and Kakashi had tried to convince him, as far as their positions permitted.

“I need to atone for my sins, Naruto”, was all he said.

Naruto couldn’t press him further. He understood.

. . . . . .

He felt guilt creaking where the new prosthetic arm had been attached to the stump of his right arm. He flexed his elbow, clenching his hand into a fist. He looked up at Tsunade and Sakura waiting expectantly. 

“Well?”

He grinned and nodded, “Almost feels like my own arm. I can feel my chakra flowing through, although I don’t seem to have full control over it yet”, he added sheepishly.

“That is to be expected. You have to be patient, Naruto. But you’re healing well, which is a good sign. Your chakra control might be back to normal faster than I originally anticipated.” Tsunade nodded thoughtfully.

They left, and the smile dropped from his face, as he thought, ‘But am I really healing? Why does it still hurt so much then?’ ****

**_It sure takes a while, doesn’t it, Brat?_ **

Naruto blinked.

Water still dripped steadily in the cellar, but the kyuubi’s imposing presence made it seem almost too small.

“Kurama! You’re awake!”, Naruto grinned. He didn’t bother to hide his delight and the fox swished his tail and snorted.

**_Couldn’t sleep with all the mumbling outside every day_ ** , Kurama growled testily, adding a more serious  **_Oi, Naruto?_ ** , when Naruto kept looking down without answering.

Ripples formed on the permanently waterlogged floor of the cellar. Naruto’s frame shook silently as he cried.

. . . . . .

Kurama had come back to him. Naruto felt relief and gratitude wash over him as he saw the great beast look at him impatiently. After he had started to consciously sense Kurama’s chakra within him, he had always secretly considered him to be something like a guardian angel. Kurama had been watching over him from the day he was born and had lost both his parents. He had saved Naruto’s life countless times, albeit begrudgingly at first, readily later on. He was his friend, and Naruto sometimes told himself he hadn’t really been alone, he always had Kurama. ****

**_Oi! NARUTO!_ **

Naruto shook off the waves of emotions hitting him and smirked, “You missed me, didn’t you?”

**_Missed you?! You have some guts, talking to me like that. I was here the whole time, you idiot, while you were wallowing in guilt, pitying yourself._** **_After getting yourself blown up, arm and all_** , he grumbled.

Kurama would never ever admit that he cared about the cheeky blond jinchuuriki who had treated him like an equal, not like a terrifying weapon to be tamed and used. He would never admit that he was furious with Uchiha Sasuke and saddened knowing that Naruto had lost his right arm, giving everything he had in him just to stop the young Uchiha and saving the  _ bijuu _ . 

But Kurama had recovered, reunited with his other half, and Kurama had heard, as if from the depths of a well, slowing getting clearer over the days, Naruto’s voice, dull, scared, angry, talking about how lost he was. And Kurama wasn’t going to leave him alone anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kurama is snarky and emotionally constipated but he loves Naruto, fight me. He has always liked Naruto, even if he was bitter about being sealed inside him. And yes, Kurama can see everything Naruto sees, and senses some amount of Naruto's emotions as well, especially if the emotions are too intense. And our boy Naruto knows how to feel deeply, if nothing else. And a protective guardian-figure Kurama is a MOOD. Naruto deserves that wholesomeness.


	3. Dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Footsteps rushing towards the source of the explosion.
> 
> A light at the end of the tunnel.

The dimly lit passage swayed a little.

They had to hurry.

They didn’t have much time before Orochimaru or Kabuto sniffed them out.

The corridors shook with a loud explosion, dust and rock crumbling from the roof. Some of the candles went out, leaving them in semi-darkness.

Footsteps rushing towards the source of the explosion.

A light at the end of the tunnel.

_ Sasuke _ , his blade less than an inch from his neck.

Kurama rumbling menacingly at Sasuke.

**_Uchiha Madara_ ** .

Kurama’s chakra exploded, shrouding him in angry crimson smoke.

Deidara, sitting on Gaara’s lifeless form. 

Naruto kept shaking him, calling out his name. Gaara’s head lolled sideways.

Jiraiya appeared, and asked him to move on.

Then Gaara opened his eyes and mouth, stretched beyond limit till Sennin Jichan made his way out of his mouth. 

_ Jiraiya-chan has died in battle. _

Someone called his name from behind him.

Minato smiled at him. He burned brightly, clad in his Kyūbi chakra mode. The chakra slowly turned blue as Minato started floating upwards, still smiling...

_ I’ll make sure to tell Kushina everything when I meet her. _

Itachi's lips quirking into an almost imperceptible smile.

_ I leave Sasuke to you. _

Sasuke. 

_ If we fight again... We’re both gonna die. _

Kurama urgently rumbling out instructions, infusing chakra to keep Naruto alive, as both teeter dangerously close to being completely drained of chakra.

A much younger Naruto standing in front of the sealed cage, demanding chakra as rent.

Chakra flowing into him.

Chakra flowing into everyone with a touch, as he raced through the battlefield, quickly judging who all could be saved.

Neji lay on his lap, coughing up blood.

_ Because you called me a genius. _

The battlefield was full of graves.

_ Forgive me, everyone. _

A familiar tap on his shoulder. No one there.

_ Who are you looking for dattebane? _

Kushina, smiling, stretched out her arms, Naruto running but never reaching her.

_ I truly believe, you’re the only shinobi in the work who can surpass the Fourth Hokage. _

Kakashi Sensei. He couldn’t sense his chakra anymore. No... It couldn’t be! Nagato had revived him.

Nagato...had honoured his master.

His hands were sticky from the melting ice pop. He broke it off into two and reached to offer it to....

He was back at the cemetery. He couldn’t move.

**_Oi Naruto...._ **

A soft hand cupped his cheek, gently but firmly.

. . . . . .

Naruto jerked awake, breathing heavily.

As he washed his face with cold water and sat down to wait for his cup ramen to be done, Kurama growled moodily.

**_Naruto. Do you want to hear some of the idiotic things your parents were up to when I was sealed in Kushina?_ **

Naruto stared at Kurama with his jaw almost touching the floor. Kurama refused to look at him in the eye.

“YOU BET I DO DATTEBAYO!”

Kurama grinned, stretching out his fist.

Naruto mimicked the action.

*fist bump*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naruto has been through a lot. But Kurama being there helps. Since, he can see what Naruto sees, he could also, very very probably also see what Kushina saw. He'd know more than anyone else about his parents.


	4. Snow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naruto had tried to argue, but as if by divine intervention, Tsunade had appeared, threatening to drag him back to the hospital if he acted out, then more calmly explaining that, until he perfected his chakra control again, the prosthetic might react to Kurama’s energy the same way the White Zetsu did.
> 
> “You don’t want your arm to grow into a tree, do you?” Tsunade had asked in exasperation.  
> .  
> .  
> .  
> .  
> .  
> .  
> .
> 
> Naruto saw his breath visibly fog. It was getting colder. He shivered and resumed his brisk jog.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is longer than the previous three.
> 
> And I've tried to adhere to the science of the jutsus as far as I could, pls bear with me if some things still don't add up.

“So what do you say? It would be a good opportunity to boost morale among the younger Academy students.”

Kakashi and Iruka waited.

Naruto pondered the request. It had been sudden, being asked to help Iruka Sensei out at the Academy with _taijutsu_ training, since he wasn’t even a Chunin yet. But he was probably the only one available, since the rest of them, including Geji-mayu, were already back on their regular missions, and Sakura-chan was busy at the hospital.

The initial fanfare surrounding him had finally died down a bit, and he could go into town without being almost mobbed. But he was still recovering, and as much as he hated admitting it, his ability to mould chakra was still not as perfect as it had been before, so that he couldn’t retain a _rasengan_ for as long as was necessary, let alone try launching a _rasenshuriken_. It was also interfering with his amassing nature energy, although he suspected it had something to do with Hashirama's cells as well. He had found accidentally that he was now able to use Wood-style jutsu, and Kakashi had tried to have Yamato Daijou train him, but after a few attempts the former had declared that it was too early. Naruto had tried to argue, but as if by divine intervention, Tsunade had appeared, threatening to drag him back to the hospital if he acted out, then more calmly explaining that, until he perfected his chakra control again, the prosthetic might react to Kurama’s energy the same way the White Zetsu did.

“You don’t want your arm to grow into a tree, do you?” Tsunade had asked in exasperation.

Naruto had gritted his teeth and walked away.

Despite _taijutsu_ and _senjutsu_ training, and torturous study sessions that Iruka made him go through in preparation for Chunin and Jonin exams, he still had too much free time. He met up with Shikamaru, Sai, and the others at Ichiraku from time to time, but he knew he couldn’t expect them to be around all the time. The positive attention he got from the villagers was liberating at first, they had finally accepted him. But he slowly grew weary of it. He didn’t hate them of course, but he understood that they wouldn’t really understand.

“You don’t have to do it if you don’t want to. You can say no”, Kakashi suggested kindly, snapping Naruto back to his current dilemma.

“I’ll do it”, Naruto said, looking him in the eye.

Kurama chuckled. Naruto ignored him for the moment.

. . . . . .

“What were you laughing about?!”

 _ **You, teaching runts at the Academy? The brat's all grown up,** **eh?**_ Kurama guffawed.

Naruto scratched the back of his head, pouting.

“It makes me feel old hearing things like that, _dattebayo_.”

He thought back to the time when he found out that Jiraiya was gone. His world had collapsed on itself, he couldn’t make sense of anything. All he kept feeling was an unbearable anguish and betrayal, and the heaviness of his memories with the sage. That was when Shikamaru had dragged him to see Kurenai Sensei, and told him about his promise to look after Asuma’s child.

“We can’t remain brats forever”, Naruto remembered him saying.

. . . . . .

He wouldn’t lie. It was refreshing, in a way. The sheer wonder in those kids' eyes appealed more to him than the gratitude he saw reflected in the villagers of Konoha. And the little girls screaming “Naruto-senpai!!!!” made him grin secretly, as remembered how Sakura, Ino, and the rest of the girls acted this way around Sasuke. How jealous he used to be.

He wondered where Sasuke would be right now. He noticed a slight flare in Kurama’s chakra along with something that felt like, resentment? He continued the taijutsu exercises slowly from muscle memory, making sure the kids could follow, while holding a casual banter with Kurama inside.

“Are you still angry with Sasuke for trying to capture you all?”

 _ **That troublesome Sharingan and Rinnegan. I’d rip his eyes out if he tried that again**_ , Kurama growled savagely.

“Hey hey, he won’t do that again. I punched him hard enough to knock some sense into him, ya know.”

_**He almost killed you!** _

“Wait a sec! You’re angry because you were worried about me, weren’t you?”, Naruto teased, smirking slyly and elbowing Kurama.

 ** _IDIOT! He’d have killed us all if you hadn’t fought him and even then, it pushed the half of me inside you to his limit. What was the Old Man thinking, giving Indra's reincarnation so much power even after knowing his intentions..._** , Kurama trailed off, still rumbling irritatedly.

Naruto laughed out loud. Kurama noted that it had been a while since since Naruto had looked this carefree. Kurama had seen all those nights when Naruto would subconsciously start going into sage mode, or start creating a rasengan while fighting his nightmares, Kurama had done damage control by possessing Naruto’s body and suppressing his chakra. He had never mentioned it to Naruto, and Naruto hadn’t seemed to remember. He had simply dragged himself out of bed wearily and gone about his day, never one to stay inactive if he could help it. Some things don’t change after all. But Kurama sensed that the nightmares had become somewhat less frequent now, and he was glad to see the blue-eyed blonde slowly return to his previously vivacious temperament. He hadn’t failed to notice maturity seeping into his personality either. His explosive energy, while being just as uplifting and inspirational as before, had mellowed out. Naruto endured more than most people during those days of unrest, and he made sure never to forget those lessons.

But sometimes, the fox wondered if even he, who had known him since he was a baby, actually knew what was going on in the boy's head. He never pried into the boy's dreams unless absolutely necessary, but the last time he had started thrashing about in his bed, Kurama had sensed the chaos in Naruto’s dreams, Obito's words ringing, dead bodies strewn all over, Neji’s lifeless eyes, and Naruto had started to activate the bubbling Nine Tail's cloak. Kurama had already started switching to Naruto’s consciousness when he had calmed down by himself, the bubbling red chakra receding, and the last thing Kurama had felt before he drew himself out of the jinchuuriki's dreams, he saw a familiar hand cupping Naruto’s face, and the words, “So stand with me, Naruto, because... not going back on one’s word, is my ninja way too.” Kurama had been curious but he had his pride. A devious grin remained on his face as he closed his eyes and remarked to himself, _**Looks like things might take an interesting turn...**_

Naruto had woken up, happier and more relaxed. He remembered dreaming about his parents right before he woke up, but that wasn’t quite it... anyway. He shrugged, stretching and gearing up for the day.

. . . . . .

Naruto saw his breath visibly fog. It was getting colder. He shivered and resumed his brisk jog.

He had met up with Lee some days ago and had been forced to listen to Lee gushing about his newest training regimen. Out of his arsenal of 1000 handstand push-ups, 500 laps around the village carrying a now wheelchair bound Guy Sensei on his back, and 500 laps running around the village, he had found the last to be the least ridiculous, and had been inspired by it. Still, to be sure he didn’t run into his bushy-browed friend and get roped into one of their weird exercise plans, he had chosen to go running late in the evening.

He ran into Shino and Kiba, the latter looking moody while the former maintained his eerily blank expression. Shino had given him a precise account of why they were, both, hurt and confused, the reason being that it was their teammate Hinata’s birthday and they had gone to the Hyuuga residence as a surprise to invite her out to have barbecue with them, only to be informed that she wasn’t home.

Naruto asked why Kiba didn’t use his nose to track her, and Kiba mumbled something about having s cold. He thought for a moment, then suggested that maybe she had gone into the village herself to find her teammates and have a good time with them, Shino reasoning that such a thing didn’t fit her personality, but Kiba perked up and dragged Shino off to look for her before Naruto could say much more than a hurried “See you later.”

Much to his surprise, it was Naruto who found Hinata, sitting alone on a swing in the deserted playground. He walked towards her with a bright, “Oi Hinataa!” and a cheery wave, and the girl jumped, looking at him with wide eyes.

“N...Naruto-kun?”

Naruto asked quizzically, “Oi Hinata! What are you doing here all alone on your birthday?” before, grinning and wishing her a happy birthday.

Hinata’s face turned bright red as she stammered out a thanks before asking, “But how did you know?”

Naruto paused, remembering, “Shino and Kiba told me. Come to think of it, they went to your house but you weren’t home. They’re still probably looking for you in the village.”

She looked surprised and a bit guilty and got up immediately, “I... I should go find them, then.”

Naruto nodded, and wordlessly started walking back with her, hands tucked behind his head.

They reached the street and Hinata stopped.

“What’s the matter?”

Hinata seemed to have trouble getting those words out, going redder and redder in the face, “Naruto-kun, a-are you... Are you going into town too?”

It finally clicked, and Naruto realized he hadn’t even thought of why he was walking back with her. He had just felt like it. He laughed it off awkwardly, and said, “Hahaha, thought I’d help you look for Shino and Kiba. It’s not like I have much else to do _dattebayo_. Not that I don’t want to help you! I...” he backtracked, feeling his ears burn. And Hinata giggled nervously. He stared at her, his ears still burning but with a weird sensation in his chest, warm and pleasant. But before he could focus properly on it, something cold landed on his face, and he looked up.

“Snow?”

Hinata said softly, “This year’s first snow.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: Hinata's birthday is on the 27th of December, as per official character data. And yes, FINALLY the mushiness I was dying to write. I was pretty nervous writing this though, because Hinata is painfully shy and Naruto can be pretty dense.  
> AND NO HINATA DOES NOT FAINT SEEING HIM ANYMORE BET EVERYONE THOUGHT MY GIRL WAS GONNA FAINT. In all fairness, I think people grew up because of the war, it toughened them. And after the Neji death scene (god that scene, I really liked Neji as a character), I didn't expect her to faint seeing Naruto everytime.
> 
> ALSO, FATHER/ OLDER BROTHER FIGURE KURAMAAAAAAAAAAA


	5. Leaf Blight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm sending Shikamaru to Suna to discuss this with the Kazekage and his council, and come up with a strategy to sniff them out before they start inciting distrust towards the Leaf among Sand shinobi. I want you two to go with them.  
> .  
> .  
> .  
> .  
> .  
> .
> 
> “Don’t get into trouble.”
> 
> With that he was gone, Naruto and Hinata left standing awkwardly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naruto finally gets a mission!!! To Sunagakure!!! Kazekage Gaara YAAAAAAS.

Naruto was late. Why did Tsunade-no-obaachan have to take so long to finish his check-up, he pouted. He barged into the Hokage’s office to find Shikamaru and Hinata already there.

“You finally made it”, remarked Kakashi noncommittally.

“Man, some things never change, do they?”, Shikamaru rolled his eyes, but Naruto knew there wasn’t any real malice in his words.

“Oi, it wasn’t my fault _dattebayo_!”, Naruto nagged indignantly.

Hinata blushed and looked down at her feet the moment he turned towards her as if to defend himself against the accusation, and said nothing.

“Anyway”, Kakashi spoke cheerily, “back to the matter at hand. We've received reports that a certain rebel group has been ambushing Sand shinobi on missions close to the border, and they've been masquerading as Leaf shinobi. I'm sending Shikamaru to Suna to discuss this with the Kazekage and his council, and come up with a strategy to sniff them out before they start inciting distrust towards the Leaf among Sand shinobi. I want you two to go with them.”

Naruto’s pout disappeared.

“All right, finally, Kakashi Sensei! It was getting kinda boring, with no missions”, he grinned.

“Oi oi. Keep a low profile though. Especially you”, warned the young Hokage, staring at Naruto, “you have become quite a celebrity since the war, people come from other villages just to look at you, but you’re still a Leaf shinobi. We don’t want to attract more attention than is necessary and make things harder to deal with for Gaara.”

“I know that”, Naruto huffed.

“Right. Now that that’s all cleared up, I suggest you make your preparations and leave within the next hour-”

They turned to leave when Kakashi added, “is what I’d like to say, but before that. Naruto, Tsunade-sama cleared you for this mission, I hope? I can’t let you go unless she does.”

Naruto nodded.

“I see. Dismissed then.”

. . . . . .

The journey went smoothly, and they reached Suna a day later, early in the afternoon. As they reached the towering rock-enclosed gates, they found Temari waiting for them.

Shikamaru muttered something like, “her, of all people...” but there was a gleam in his eye.

Temari quirked an eyebrow as she started walking, “I’ve been asked to greet the Kazekage's guests and escort them to their lodgings. You'll be meeting Gaara after you freshen up, but the official meeting with the council happens tomorrow.” She added, a little tensely, “while you’re here, I’d recommend you keep your headbands hidden. We’d like to diminish chances of unnecessary skirmishes as much as possible.”

They met Gaara, who seemed pleased to meet his long-time friend who had once saved his life. Shikamaru wondered shrewdly if Kakashi hadn’t taken the former jinchuuriki's friendship with Naruto into account while choosing this team. Pleasantries were exchanged but the Kazekage had duties and excused himself after promising to join them again later on. As they left the office, Temari called out to Shikamaru and evasively asked him to follow her, saying she has business with him. Shikamaru followed her, complaining, but not before turning to the other two and narrowing his eyes.

“Don’t get into trouble.”

With that he was gone, Naruto and Hinata left standing awkwardly.

. . . . . .

Naruto and Hinata walked through the village. It was very different from Konoha, much more rugged, but at the same time, somewhat quaint and exotic.

“Oi Hinata, you’ve never been to Suna before, have you?” Naruto asked, watching her taking in her surroundings with wide eyes.

'She always had nice big eyes', he caught himself thinking, before focusing on what Hinata was saying.

“No. I went to Kirigakure with father for a delegate meeting when I was younger, and other villages for missions, but not Suna. It’s.... pretty”, she smiled, a soft blush appearing on her cheeks.

'You're pretty', Naruto almost said but shook off the intrusive thought. ‘Aarghh, what’s the matter with me?!’, he thought frustratedly, and found Kurama chuckling like he found something really funny. It annoyed him. ‘OI, WHAT ARE YOU LAUGHING ABOUT?!’ Kurama just laughed louder.

He started rambling and as was his habit from hanging out with Sakura, he casually said, “Yes, it’s pretty. Say, Hinata. You’ve never been here so what about we check out the place? It’d be like a date!”, he grinned.

“D...date?”

He saw her face go from pink to red and even darker, confusion to shock to disbelief to sheer nervousness. She looked like she was about to faint.

“Oi, don’t take it so seriously _dattebayo_ ”, he backtracked quickly. “We’re friends, aren’t we? You’re good company. I’m kinda hungry too, I wonder if they have ramen around here. Do you like ramen?” he blabbered.

Hinata seemed to have recovered somewhat. “Hm”, she nodded, adding, “I...like sweet things too, though.”

“Ohh... I see”, Naruto had his thinking face on, squinting, then brightened, “Suna is famous for its sweet bean dumplings. Choji told me once. Let’s go check if they sell some around here.”

The evening passed quickly. Naruto hadn’t found ramen, but they had tried a variety of dumplings and gyozas, and Naruto discovered one of Hinata’s hidden talents. She could eat. A LOT.

“Y...you could give Choji a run for his money”, Naruto exclaimed in awe as Hinata steadily and elegantly polished off her fifth plate of gyozas. She looked embarrassed, but couldn’t help giggling. Then she asked, growing self-conscious, “Is that a bad thing?” Naruto shook his head. “Not at all.” He scratched his head and said, “But it would be a little hard on my pur-“

A commotion broke out nearby.

The shopkeeper watched helplessly as three people trashed his shop, laughing menacingly. Some people started protesting and as they turned around, the symbol on their headband caught Naruto’s eye. Hinata let out a shocked whispered, “Naruto-kun...”

All three men wore Hidden Leaf headbands.

Naruto took a step forward, gritting his teeth. “Those bastards.”

Several people were closing in on the three shinobi as well.

One of them sneered, “What are you gonna do? Fight us, and violate your Kazekage’s orders? Not even Gaara-sama can touch us, as long as the Konoha and Suna alliance remains strong.”

People began whispering. And Naruto saw those eyes. Directed towards Gaara, even though he wasn’t there. His blood boiled.

_**Naruto. Get a hold on yourself. As much as I want to teach those bastards a lesson. That Kakashi told you to keep a low profile.** _

“Are you seriously going to agree with Kakashi Sensei??! Even after hearing what they said about Konoha? And Gaara?” Naruto yelled at Kurama.

_**Oi, I don’t like it one bit, either. But acting like an idiot won’t solve the problem. You humans are easily swayed. Did you forget Nagato's words already?** _

Naruto said quietly, “We are drawn to act in the name of revenge we deem to be justice. But when we call our vengeance justice, it only breeds more revenge ... forging the first link in the chains of hatred.”

“But I can’t just stand here and do nothing.”

Before Kurama could say anything more, Naruto stepped forward and spoke, “Gaara would never put anything above his village's well-being.”

The shinobi snarled, “Who the hell are you, scum?”

“That doesn’t matter”, a voice spoke from behind him. Temari appeared, flanked by several Sand shinobi. “We have reports of rogue shinobi causing unrest among villages and disrupting peace. The Kazekage will not stand for such acts.” The shinobi jumped into action even as she finished speaking. The man hissed out a curse and used a smoke bomb. By the time the smoke cleared, two of them, including the leader were trussed and tied up.

Temari frowned and drew a kunai, sending it straight into the leader's forehead, to everyone's shock. The kunai felt to the ground with a clatter as the body disintingrated into a pile of dust.

“Dust clone”, she noted calmly.

As the crowd slowly cleared, Shikamaru turned to Naruto. “I told you not to get into trouble. This isn’t war, Naruto. You can’t get into a fight in a foreign village like this. Even for Konoha's sake. Especially for Konoha’s sake.”

“They were insulting Gaara! Don’t you care that they were trying to turn them against their own Kazekage?!”, Naruto almost yelled at Shikamaru.

Before Shikamaru could say anything, Temari spoke.

“Naruto. I appreciate your concern. But don’t underestimate Gaara. He understands this land and his people better than anyone else, and Suna's trust in Gaara is not something that would crumble so easily.”

Naruto glared at everyone, and was about to say more, but then his gaze fell on Hinata’s troubled face, and he gritted out “Damn it!” and walked away.

. . . . . .

“Did they learn nothing from the war? How could they still want such rivalry between villages?”

 ** _Hmmphh! You’re still a child, Naruto! Did you think there would peace and harmony overnight_**?

“No, but... What could their motive be? Why would they take it out on innocent villagers? Even if they’re dissatisfied with the shinobi world, why take it out on the weak and defenceless?”

_**People have always been afraid of power. You have lived through most of your childhood facing just that. Even that Uchiha Madara, and his entire clan lived under the curse of this fear of power, and ended up getting destroyed. Naruto, you still have a long way to go, if you want to become Hokage.** _

Naruto cracked a cheeky smirk.

“You’re getting fond of me, aren’t you Kurama?”

 _ **Oi! Don’t tell me you don’t want to be Hokage anymore after all that boasting for year?! I’m just trying to make you a little less of an idiot, so you'd achieve that dream of yours and I don’t have to hear about it anymore again**_ , Kurama growled.

“Of course not. Becoming Hokage is my dream. And I have promised a lot of people that I’ll get there one day.”

_**Speaking of dreams, you seemed to enjoy dumplings with dream-girl even more than ramen.** _

Naruto squinted, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Kurama sighs exasperatedly. _**Oi! Weren’t you paying attention when I told you those stories about Minato and Kushina?**_

“Of course I paid attention to those stories about Mom and Dad. It was so much fun to see them being all lovey-dovey and going on dates-“

_**Now the brat gets it.** _

“W...wait a minute, oi, I’m not in love with Hinata or anything. She’s sweet, and has pretty eyes, she’s really powerful too, and I like spending time with her, but I like spending time with Sakura-chan, Shikamaru, even Konohamaru. They’re all my friends...”

Even as he said it, it reminded Naruto of the time Sakura had lied to him and told him she loved him and not Sasuke. His own words rang in his head.

“I don’t like people who lie to themselves.”

. . . . . .

Naruto stayed lost in thought most of the day, not interacting with anyone. He had spent most of the previous night struggling with the implications of his conversation with Kurama. He came to two conclusions:

He, very possibly, almost absolutely certainly, liked Hinata.

And, he had no idea what to do with this information.

. . . . . .

Shikamaru appeared in the afternoon, surprised and suspicious seeing Naruto sitting quietly on the windowsill, staring outside.

He sighed thinking, 'What a drag...’

“Oi Naruto, are you still sulking?”

“Huh? About what?”, Naruto asked distractedly.

Shikamaru frowned but let it go. “Kazekage invited us to share a meal with him this evening. He’s going to want his friend to be there. You’re coming?”

Naruto turned towards him and grinned. “You bet.” Then he remembered, “What happened at the meeting with the Council?”

“They interrogated the guy from the market yesterday. Apparently they’re Sand shinobi from a smaller family who have always clashed with Te- the Kazekage’s family over control of Suna but slowly lost their power and status over the generations. Out of fear that this new Alliance with other shinobi villages would solidify Gaara’s rule and create a dictatorship, they tried to win over some other small families to their side and kill two birds with one stone: overthrow the Kazekage and break the alliance. They didn’t think it through very well, it seems. Suna wants to deal with this on their own.”

“I see”, Naruto said thoughtfully, thinking of what Kurama said about power and the fear of it.

That evening they attended a private dinner with Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro who had just returned from a mission that day. Gaara’s sharp eyes noticed the Konoha diplomat's eyes drift towards his sister who was engaged in some light-hearted argument with their brother. More surprising was when he noticed his first friend's eyes glance more than occasionally towards the shy dark-haired girl with gentle white eyes.

‘We’re growing up aren’t we, Naruto?’, Gaara remarked inwardly, with a barely imperceptible smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kurama being Naruto's voice of reason. Literally. Where would our dumb boi's love life be if a certain grumpy kyuubi wasn't rooting for him?
> 
> Also, I LOVE SHIKAMARU AND TEMARI, ONE OF THE BEST COUPLES IN THE SERIES. The development of their relationship began as far back as the Sasuke Retrieval arc and their chemistry is AMAZING.


	6. Super-Duper Special Edition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Naruto-kun? What's wrong?"
> 
> He realized he had been staring. Her cheeks had gone redder, and it made her pale complexion even more striking, he thought.  
> .  
> .  
> .  
> .  
> .  
> .  
> Naruto didn't move for a second, then his eyes lit up like he had figured some something astronomical.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Arrghhh, sem finals are making updating chapters so much slower. But, we get some of the good stuff in this chapter. :3

Years of training with Jiraiya had habituated Naruto with waking up with the birds. He leapt from branch to branch with ease, making his way to the back hills behind the Academy. It had once been his personal playground, there was so much of it that he didn't find time to be lonely. He breathed deeply, the cold air filling his lungs and clearing his head.

He settled down on a rock by the gushing waterfall to concentrate, the familiar feeling of nature energy rushing into his body easily, calming him. His right arm twitched, but he kept still, the itch slowly dying down as the prosthetic adapted quickly to the new chakra coursing through, more and more often recently. Soon he began to sense the chittering of birds and small animals scurrying all over the hillside woods. The sun had risen, and with it, the bustle of life in the village. Naruto could almost see the villagers go on with their routine. Shopkeepers sweeping storefronts, children heading to the Academy, farmers on their way to the fields, mothers grocery-shopping. Naruto let it all wash over him. As his mind quieted down again, he sensed a familiar chakra from somewhere farther behind him, around the hillside. Sharp and defined, aggressive but precise, and yet gentle somewhow.

_Hinata..._

Naruto opened his eyes, lids marked orange, pupils toad-like. Recently, he had found himself searching for her chakra each time he went into sage mode. He didn't know what for. He had found himself crossing the entrance to the Hyuuga complex more than once, although his house was towards the other end of the village. He had recognized her touch on his cheek in his dreams, and woken up smiling. His thoughts had flown over into Kurama's and the fox had had a gala time flustering Naruto all day, teasing him for forgetting his ramen for fifteen whole minutes instead of the average three it needed, as he stared out the window, wondering at the odd excitement he felt about a crush. He had had crushes before, hadn't he? He had chased Sakura-chan for years, although he was old enough to realize it was more about making her acknowledge him as Sasuke's equal, it had become a friendly running gag over time.

He smiled and was gone with a jump, dodging trees without even looking as he edged closer to Hinata's chakra. He had planned on greeting her, but sensing Kiba and Akamaru's chakras, he changed his mind, instead reaching the clearing and leaning quietly on a branch higher up, watching them train.

They were sparring, honing their taijutsu skills. Hinata had always been superior at taijutsu, the Hyuuga's signature style and their byakugan making for a deadly combination.

"Kiba-kun."

"Got it", Kiba smirked, switching to his combination attack with Akamaru, charging towards her. Hinata fixed her stance, and with one fluid motion, used an Air Palm to slow down their attack, then immediately activating her Twin Lion Fists and breaking apart their combination.

He remembered the time they had gone searching for the Bikochu beetle as kids, and he had first witnessed Hinata's personalized defence, cutting down hundreds of chakra wasps and bees with sharp blades of chakra alone.

"Oi Naruto. How long are you gonna skulk up there?", Kiba called unexpectedly, causing Naruto to almost lose his balance. His sage mode had faded, and he had forgotten about Kiba's nose. He jumped down, laughing pleasantly.

"I didn't want to interrupt your training, and it was much better view from above", he grinned. But something was missing. In-sects...? _Oh_ , he realized.

"Where's Shino?", he asked looking around.

"On a mission with his father. What are you doing here though? Slacking off as usual?", Kiba laughed brazenly.

"Kiba-kun, that's not nice", Hinata chided gently, her face a little pink, although she didn't seem seriously angry.

"Geez, you really need to work on your attitude", grumbled Naruto. "Poor Hinata and Akamaru has to deal with this everyday", petting the huge ninja dog, as Kiba huffed.

"I was training when I sensed you here, so dropped by", he explained to Hinata awkwardly, adding, "Hinata, that was an awesome combo back then dattebayo" He felt the need to say something to her, but he couldn't exactly say he had followed her chakra all the way here. He'd sound like Pervy Sage. But it would be weird ignoring her too, not that he wanted to. He scratched his head frustratedly sitting in front of Kurama, who sighed heavily.

**_.....hopeless brat. Your father was much smoother with Kushina, when they first met, even though he was a coward too. But then, Kushina had a_ _reputation..._** Kurama paused to snigger.

**_The_ _Hyuuga kid isn't Sakura, you know._ **

"She's really shy, she used to faint all the time when we were kids if I startled her, what if I say something weird and scare her off? Aarrrghhh, dad!! Why couldn't you save some of your chakra for times like this? I can't learn about girls from a fox who can't even be upfront about his own feelings...", Naruto pouted.

_**Oi Naruto! Have you forgotten who you're talking to? Shut up before I decide to shut you up myself!** _

"Naruto-kun? What's wrong?"

He realized he had been staring. Her cheeks had gone redder, and it made her pale complexion even striking, he thought. She nervously tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, saying, "Kiba-kun has to help Hana-san with training their dogs, so he left. Are...you okay?"

He hadn't noticed Kiba leaving. His thoughts wandered along the strands of Hinata's long dark locks. _Dad had fallen in love with mom's hair_. He thought fondly. _Hinata looks prettier in long hair_ , he considered. _Nyah, Hinata always looks pretty,_ he decided. _Okay, let's do this._

"Hinata, want to go to Ichiraku for some ramen? I'm starving."

. . . . . .

**C L O S E D FO R T H E W E E K E N D**

Today of all days?!

"Heh?!! No ramen??!" , Naruto sighed dejectedly.

Hinata fidgeted a little, trying to console him, "T-they'll open again next week. We can have ramen again some other time again..."

Naruto didn't move for a second, then his eyes lit up like he had figured some something astronomical.

"CUP RAMEN", he grinned.

"Cup ramen?"

He nodded, seemingly pleased with himself. "Not just any cup ramen. My super-duper special editional cup ramen I kept saved up for special occasions. We can have cup ramen. We can have miso-flavoured special cup ramen at my place", he grinned.

"Y-your place?", Hinata seemed to be struggling.

"Don't worry, it's not that messy", Naruto reassured, scratching his head.

"I... But don't you want to save it? For s special occasion?"

Naruto realized his slip. "T-that's okay. I don't get a lot of visitors anyway, so it's like a special occasion to have a friend over", he slowed down a little but the words seemed to overflow of their own accord, "the last time I had people over was before the war. Everyone has been busy since then, it's... I...", Naruto couldn't lift his head, his flashing red eyes hidden, as he gritted his teeth and his eyes, slowly, turned back to their original azure hue, "it's fun to have some company and...and, talk", he finished lamely.

He wanted to take back those words. He didn't want Hinata to think he wanted her company just because he's lonely. He was going to give Kurama the sulky silent treatment for three days at the very least, for this stunt.

"I like spending time with you. You're fun." He added, not even daring to look up anymore. He had made a fool out of himself. And it bothered him more than he thought it could.

"I'd love to", came the reply.

He looked up, eyes wide.

Hinata smiled shyly.

. . . . . .

It was a happier morning that the small apartment had seen in a while, with two empty super-duper special edition cup ramen bowls on the coffee table, a bright blue sky outside the window, and the sound of two people laughing.

Maybe, he wouldn't sulk at Kurama for more than a day after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hehehehe, Kurama is so so done with Naruto's cluelessness.


	7. Rinne Matsuri

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hinata's p.o.v.)
> 
> "Oiii! Hinataaaa!"
> 
> Naruto whizzed towards her from two rooftops away. She immediately felt her heart pick up pace. A soft blush appeared on her cheeks.
> 
> "Going on a mission?", Naruto grinned brightly.  
> .  
> .  
> .  
> .  
> .  
> .  
> .  
> .  
> The rest of the week saw Naruto in a persistently bad mood, sulking around the village and the training grounds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FINALLY. Exam week was hell. I wanted to finish this chapter so bad, ughhh. But I really enjoyed writing this, and I hope y'all like reading it too.

(Hinata's p.o.v.)

"Oiii! Hinataaaa!"

Naruto whizzed towards her from two rooftops away. She immediately felt her heart pick up pace. A soft blush appeared on her cheeks.

"Going on a mission?", Naruto grinned brightly.

_He seems so much happier these days_ , Hinata wondered.

"Y-yes. What about you, Naruto-kun?", she asked shyly, tucking her hair behind her hair.

"Just returned", he smiled, stretching.

_I-is he walking me to the gate? What's going on? Should I ask? But, that would seem rude, what if he decides to go away?! But, what should I say? I should say something-_

"Say, I was wondering. About the festival this weekend, everyone's going to see the fireworks, right?"

Hinata, a little startled, nodded. 

"I was wondering..."

Hinata felt her heart skip a few beats. _Is Naruto-kun going to ask me to go with him??! What should I do? I told Hanabi I'd accompany her after the ceremony, but she will understand if... What am I thinking? Naruto-kun...does he really think of me that way?_

Naruto laughed awkwardly, "I was wondering, it's going to be fun, right? After all that happened, the festival will cheer everyone up. Don't you think so, Hinata?"

_Oh._

"Y-yes. I've heard the floating lanterns they release into the stream burn for hours, but I never get to see them. Clan rituals take a long time, and...", she stopped rambling, embarrassed.

"Clan rituals?"

"Yes. The Hyuuga have an annual ceremony during the Rinne Matsuri, where the families pay respects to each other, and our ancestors."

"I see", Naruto seemed to deflate ever so slightly.

"Oh, we've reached the gate already. Anyway, see you. Do your best on the mission", Naruto said hastily as the gate came into view, quickly whizzing off, waving and grinning.

Hinata found something troubling about his expression. _Naruto-kun's smile didn't reach his eyes_ , she thought. But then her teammates arrived, and there wasn't time to mull over it too deeply during a mission.

. . . . . .

(Naruto's p.o.v.)

Hinata has plans.

Naruto sighed, walking towards his house, hands in his pockets. He tried to convince himself that he hadn't chickened out, he just didn't want to make Hinata uncomfortable by asking her to go with him when she had clan stuff.

_That stuff is important, right? And her dad is the head of the Hyuuga, it must be rougher on her. Hmmm, and she gets so easily flustered, she's too kind, she wouldn't have liked having to turn someone away..._ , Naruto nodded to himself.

_**Since when did you get so cowardly?** _

"Eh? WHO DO YOU THINK YOU'RE CALLING A COWARD, STUPID FOX?"

_**You, you stupid brat. You were going to ask the Hyuuga girl out, weren't you? Chickened out, eh? And you call yourself the nine-tails' jinchuuriki? Disgraceful!** _

"Oi!! This ain't a fight dattebayo! Also, since when do you care about me getting girls? Sheesh, I think I liked you more when you were still pretending to be all tough and angry all the time. And anyway, I didn't chicken out or anything. You were watching, weren't you Kurama! She has that clan stuff to attend, she never gets to attend the festival anyway."

_**Hhmph. Since when did you get so understanding? Admit it, you're afraid of being rejected, aren't you? It's boring now that I don't get to toy around or let loose my powers, I hoped you'd make this more entertaining. Despite your looks, you're nothing like Minato. It had to be Kushina's tactlessness after all... Idiot brat...** _

"Stop grumbling about that! W-what did you mean by making this more entertaining?! What kind of a pervert are you even?! Oi! Don't ignore me! OI!! KURAMA!!!"

Kurama simply lay down and closed his eyes, snorting with mirth.

Naruto gritted his teeth, seething, earning him a few surprised looks. He thought back to the beginning of the week, right before setting out for the mission. 

...

Sai and he had run into Shikamaru, with Ino and Choji in tow. The pretty blonde, upon seeing Sai, had suddenly started complaining to Choji loudly about not having a date for the festival, how heartbreaking it would be if a single woman like her had to spend such a romantic occasion alone. Choji, out of the goodness of his heart had suggested she go with him and Shikamaru, the latter declining, due to having duties and Ino lecturing him about how it wouldn't be romantic with them.

Sai had, remained blissfully oblivious.

Naruto hadn't.

He remembered the countless opportunities he'd tried to grasp, hounding Sakura for dates, even though he never really expected her to agree to one. Somehow it never bothered him either. He did it compulsively, it had become a habit, he kind of enjoyed riling her up and making her yell at him. She hit him on the head pretty hard and yelled "Idiot Naruto!" but it was all in humour. Sakura didn't take it seriously either. Or so he thought up till that snow-clad day in the Land of Iron, when she had tried to make him believe that she was in love with him. It had angered and hurt him that she would say that, he felt betrayed on Sasuke's behalf. He couldn't believe that Sakura would take him for that big a fool.

_Hadn't he known her long enough? Hadn't he seen the way she looked at Sasuke, has always looked at Sasuke? Hadn't she realized that Naruto might love her but he would never try to take her away from Sasuke?_

He had paused to wonder what that meant. He had deeply loved Jiraiya too. He still felt a sharp pang of grief everytime he thought about Ero-Sennin. And of course he cared deeply about Sakura-chan, he would always protect her. But, this time with Hinata, it was different. He couldn't really define it. Naruto had never been good with explanations anyway, like he had told Sasuke when the raven-haired boy had asked him what the word 'friend' meant to him. It felt warm around her. Peaceful. He felt somehow full, kind of like having a bowl or two of Ichiraku ramen _after after a hard day of training or a long mission, maybe?_ It didn't quite fit, but. He knew he wanted to spend more time with her, maybe go out on a date? 

Naruto felt his face flush at the thought as he whizzed past the trees, Sai's dark head ahead of him. That guy, sighed Naruto, even I could see that Ino wanted him to ask her out on a date. Well, he sure lives a carefree life, that Sai.

Naruto had decided to ask Hinata if she wanted to spend the evening with him and watch fireworks together. He was determined. He had been more energetic than he had usually felt ever since he got the new arm, he didn't feel the extra chakra the prosthetic always consumed, it had seemed insignificant. Things were going to be good.

...

It had gone miserably after all.

_Did I really run away? It's not like she seemed like she didn't want to hang out, and I have loads of practice from Sakura-chan yelling at me for that kind of thing... So.. I didn't want to hear her saying no, that's...true. Mom, Dad I really don't know anything about these things...and there's no one I can ask. Kakashi Sensei just reads his perverted books, I don't want to talk about this to Sakura-chan or Iruka Sensei either. Sasuke wouldn't have been of any use, not that he's even here... Shikamaru... no, all he'll say is "Such a drag, such a drag"... AAaaarrrgggghhhhh, such... a... drag..._

The rest of the week saw Naruto in a persistently bad mood, sulking around the village and the training grounds.

. . . . . .

(Hinata's p.o.v.)

It was Sunday, early in the afternoon. Hinata fixed Hanabi's obi distractedly. It kept gnawing at her, that odd expression on Naruto's face the last time they had met. She had returned to the village only the day before, and had no opportunity to find out what happened.

_He looked put off somehow. Was it something I said? His smile didn't seem real. I could see it in his eyes. There seemed to be hopelessness in them, just for an instant. Was I mistaken? Naruto-kun..._

Hanabi pouted, looking at Hinata behind her in the mirror, "Nee-sama, are we going to miss the fireworks this year too? Why can't they hold the ceremony some other day!"

Hinata smiled and said apologetically, "Probably not. You know why, don't you? The Rinne Matsuri is special occasion for the Hyuuga clan, it's the day-"

"Yes yes, I know, it's the day our clan was born. It is also the birthday of our clan's founder. So we must pay our respects to our ancestors on this day", Hanabi droned on in a dead voice.

Hinata giggled. "Also Hanabi, you must look your best and behave properly today. Father will be formally naming you the heir of the Hyuuga today at the ceremony, you know."

"Nee-sama? Are you sure Father is right about this?" Hanabi spoke softly, eyes downcast. "You're older, ideally you should be the next one in line. You're so strong too. I heard the stories, you took down so many strong enemies during the war. It... doesn't seem fair."

Hinata made Hanabi face her and lifted her face by her chin. "Hanabi, you're my little sister. Do you think I could ever grudge you your strength? I've always known you were more skilled than me. Even when we were kids, despite being five years younger, you were almost at par with Neji nee-san. I'm sure if he were here today, he'd agree. You're stronger than me, in spirit as well. You have what it takes to lead the Hyuuga. Believe in yourself, Hanabi. I will always be here for you."

Hanabi smiled and nodded.

...

If only the others had shared Hinata's confidence, the afternoon would have been much more pleasant. The rituals had been taken care of. The clan had gathered again for the first time in the Hyuuga Hall, renovated after Pain had destroyed the village. Following a brief commemorative speech, Hyuuga Hiashi asked Hanabi to step up. Hanabi walked towards their father, poised and elegant, her stature strong, and Hinata felt pride in her heart. _Neji nee-san, you should have been here today. I wish you were here today_ , she thought.

"Hiashi-sama. Just a moment."

Hinata froze. She had been dreading this. There had been rumours, but there had been no concrete allegations made, so they had let it pass. Hinata had been extra-protective of Hanabi, making sure the rumours didn't reach her ears. She knew that her younger sister had her own doubts and insecurities, and hearing poisonous comments would only weaken her resolve. She also knew that Hanabi was perfectly capable of taking over their father's position at any moment if the need arose. She had, after all, trained for years preparing for this day.

"There is something we would like to discuss before you make your announcement. It concerns the death of Hyuuga Neji."

Hinata closed her eyes, the words ringing in her ears as she saw that moment, clear as day, flashing before her eyes again.

"It was well-known that Hyuuga Neji of the branch family had harboured ill-will towards your family's position after his father's death. His skill in using the Byakugan and the Gentle Fist far-exceeded that of any other member within the last generation, making him a worthy successor. We had also heard talk of the rules forbidding the curse mark being used on branch family members anymore and Hyuuga Neji being considered as a candidate for the heir. Then, very conveniently, he lost his life protecting Hinata-sama. And once again, the head family is taking control, having a mere child take up the position since the elder child lacks the Hyuuga skill. We believe the head family is no longer capable of upholding the Hyuuga strength or honour. Hiashi-sama, we refuse to accept Hanabi-sama's leadership."

The silence was deafening. Hanabi stood frozen, Hiashi had closed his eyes, frowning, calming digesting the accusation. He had known about this, but hadn't expected them to be this direct.

_No. I will not let them taint Neji nee-san's sacrifice. I will not let them crush Hanabi's will. I will not let them dishonour my father._

Hiashi sighed, preparing to speak.

"Neji nee-san was truly a genius", a voice cut in.

Hiashi looked up in shock to see Hinata standing, looking down. "It is true. Someone with such skill welding the Byakugan and Gentle Fist appears few and far between. And yes, I have never been up to the standard expected of the Hyuuga heir. But I will not stand for Neji nee-san's sacrifice to be thus disrespected. He died fighting till his last breath, protecting his close ones, just like his father, Hizashi-sama did. His death was that of a true shinobi. I request you all to not sully his memory in this manner. My father has always considered what would be in the clan's best interests. Hanabi possesses both the willpower and skill to lead the Hyuuga, even if she were to take over now. She has proven her skill before the clan numerous times. Even if not officially, it was obvious that she was suited for the position much more than I was. As for Neji nee-san, he had expressed his wish to fight for the clan, and its honour. It was a war with many losses. I owe him my life.... I was willing to protect another comrade the same way, when Neji nee-san stepped in and protected me. I don't know how such cruel rumours were circulated and why all of you would believe it, but tell me. Do you truly believe that Hyuuga Hiashi would resort to such reprehensible methods to protect the status of his family? And do you really have a more worthy candidate in mind than Hanabi?"

No one spoke. Several of the members, including the man who had earlier spoken, hung their heads. It was highly unusual for the normally shy Hyuuga to speak out like this. They hadn't expected her, of all people, to be able to stand up to the accusations like this. She waited. A low murmur filled the hall. A different member now spoke, apologizing for their doubt in their leader. There was a growing murmur of assent as more and more people nodded thoughtfully.

Once the members had somewhat settled down and Hiashi had simply made the announcement, Hanabi supressed her shock and bowed deeply, pledging her loyalty to the Hyuuga clan and swearing to protect and upload the clan with all her strength. Hinata quietly excused herself and left, Hanabi looking both grateful and worried, but understanding that her sister would probably want to be alone for a bit.

. . . . . .

(Naruto and Hinata's p.o.v.)

It was colder that evening than the rest of the week. Trudging through ankle-deep snowy slush, Naruto's breath came out foggy, and he pulled the collar of his jacket upwards, adjusting his woolen scarf. Sakura had come around in the morning asking if he wanted to hang out with Choji, Lee, Tenten and her for the festival, since Ino had apparently snagged a very confused Sai for a date, and the rest of them would be busy with missions. He snorted a little thinking of Sai, but then bailed as his thoughts turned to Hinata. Sakura had seemed a little worried but hadn't prodded him too much, instead letting him know where to find them if he changed his mind.

He had stepped out of his apartment early in the evening. He decided to settle into his special-occasion-routine of stepping into Ichiraku for some miso char sui pork ramen with extra pork and fishcakes, and a walk back home by the longer route around the village to work off the meal. Maybe it wasn't actually anything special but the ritual made him feel comfortable, and the familiarity of it felt a little more like home.

It started snowing again on his walk back home. He walked with hands shoved into his pockets, staring at the night sky. The soft white flecks settling on his face reminded him of Hinata's birthday and made him a little sad, in his mind he had actually started imagining an awkward date with her, wanting to appear a bit cooler than he knew he was. He was hardly prepared to have someone bump straight into his chest.

"Hey, watch where you're-"

Naruto's words got stuck on his tongue seeing Hinata sitting slumped in the snow. She had fallen backwards after bumping straight into him. Thankfully the snow had cushioned the fall.

"H-Hinata? Oi, you okay?", Naruto asked, concern immediately ringing alarm bells in his head. Hinata nodded, but didn't look up at him. He saw two teardrops slide down her cheeks. He knelt down beside her and asked urgently, "Hinata? What's wrong? Did something happen? Are you hurt?"

"N-no. I'm okay. Sorry for bumping into you, Naruto-kun", Hinata sniffed, drying her eyes with her sleeves.

"I see", Naruto said softly, standing and helping Hinata up. He wondered if he should ask what happened but decided against it, seeing how upset she seemed to be. "Do you want me to walk you home?", he asked instead.

Hinata shook her head, "No, I... don't want to go home right now. Thank you for asking though."

Naruto sighed. _Family stuff, huh._ He didn't really know what to do, but he gathered that Hinata didn't look like she'd want company right now.

"I... I'll leave you alone then. Take care", he added uncertainly, scratching his head.

Hinata didn't reply.

_**Oi Naruto. Are you just going to leave like this?** _

"I can't really hang around her even if she wants to be alone, can I? In any case, I guess something happened at home."

_**You humans really are hopeless**_ , Kurama grumbled impatiently, but not quite opposing his judgement on this.

He remembered their first Chunin exam prelims, how condescending Neji had been about Hinata's abilities as a Hyuuga. _Are the Hyuuga that powerful that they still wouldn't acknowledge Hinata? But... she's so strong,_ he wondered. _No, that couldn't be it._

"See you then", Naruto said, turning to walk away, when he felt a pull against his sleeve.

He looked behind in surprise to Hinata timidly grabbing his sleeve, caught between embarrassment and desperation, face bright red.

"Ummm.... ummm... Naruto-kun... would you s-stay a bit longer?", she looked down again, not bearing to maintain eye-contact till the end.

Naruto stood dumbly, processing the request.

_**Don't keep her waiting, you moron!**_ , came Kurama's familiar voice, jolting him back to reality.

"Yeah, of course!" he smiled, as Hinata quickly let go off his sleeve. He didn't think her face could get any redder, but it did. He almost chuckled thinking she looked like a tomato, remembering the first nickname his mother had gotten at the Academy.

"Hinata, do you want to go for a walk?"

"Uhhmm, sure."

They talked about this and that, the meandering path leading them to the bridge over the stream cutting through the village. There were a few people around, but not many, most of them having made their way towards the fields on the outskirts of the village for attending the fair and watching fireworks.

Hinata shivered a bit, she hadn't remembered to change or even put on something warmer over her kimono.

"Here, put this on. Wouldn't do for you catch a cold now, would it?", Naruto said, already loosening his scarf and draping it around her neck. It's warm, Hinata noted absently.

It reminded her of that time when they were kids, and she was being bullied by some older boys. She had been an easy target, shy and timid, and Naruto, with his bright blue eyes and loud brash voice had stepped in and yelled at them to not bully her. They hadn't even known each other back then, this being long before they had joined the Academy. They had challenged him and he had gotten into a brawl, the result being them beating him up and tearing up his woollen scarf. It was snowing that day, and he was probably cold but he just laughed and acted like he didn't care, walking off with his scratches and bruises after making sure she was not hurt. She had wanted to be strong and kind like him, since that day.

She fidgeted with the ends of the scarf. Naruto watched from a corner of his eyes, wondering if he had gone too far, huffing a bit internally, _it's not like I did something wrong, she was cold..._ His knuckles had brushed against her cheeks while putting the scarf on her, her skin was freezing.

"They.... they accused my father of getting Neji nee-san killed on purpose", she spoke, disrupting his thoughts.

"What?", Naruto asked again, shocked.

Hinata shakily recounted the events of that afternoon. They were both silent after that, Naruto finally breaking the silence.

"You're kind, Hinata. I don't know if I could have forgiven them", he spoke quietly. They both had the same images flashing before their eyes, Hinata shielding Naruto, Neji jumping in to save Hinata, before collapsing in Naruto's arms. Neji's last words rang in Naruto's ears...

"Hinata-sama would die for you..."

"Because you called me a genius..."

He smiled sadly. "Say Hinata, you remember that time when Tsunade-no-obaachan became Hokage, and they had fireworks in her honour? You couldn't go because you were sick? Neji, that idiot, acted like he didn't care, but he tried to go get rare herbs so you'd get better and get to see the fireworks?" She nodded, "Neji nee-san took care of me too, even though he didn't say a word and didn't even want me to know he was there, he watched over me..."

He looked at her, his hand suddenly itching to touch her face. The gesture that had saved him from many of his nightmares, he wanted to comfort her too. He raised his hand but hesitated, finally reaching out to hold her hand, still fidgeting with the ends of his scarf, squeezing softly.

"Neji is still watching over you from somewhere. I know it. He would be proud of you today."

Hinata looked ahead, and a strange light appeared in her pale eyes. Naruto blinked, wondering if it was all a hallucination, he stupidly gazed at her slightly glowing form, her simple mauve kimono and thought she looked like a fairy. He didn't want her to disappear and without realizing, gripped her hand tighter, making her look at him in surprise.

Then she smiled, "Thank you, Naruto-kun", then turning her gaze ahead and saying, "Naruto-kun look! How pretty..."

Naruto finally looked down at the stream to find several lanterns floating down the river, like brightly lit souls dotting the dark stream, some got lodged by the snowy banks, making a dream-like scene.

_It really must be a dream_ , Naruto joked to himself, still holding Hinata's hand.

Hinata felt the warmth of Naruto's hands seeping into hers, still grasping the scarf. She had an idea. She would make him a scarf, just like the one he had when they had first met.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes. Kurama. I know. Humans are stupid. It's a drag. And your partner is an adorable fool. But aaaahhh, the fluff. And I loved Neji, okay? I cried during the scene when Neji died. 10/10 related to Lee howling Neji's name and not letting go.
> 
> Also, I wanted to highlight that each of them got their own scars and demons as collateral damage from the war. It was worse for Naruto ofc, his shadow clones were everywhere, and accumulated the horror and devastation of every battlefield, but it would be very very wrong to assume everyone else was fine. They were all dealing, and healing together.
> 
> And, the FLUFF. THEY ARE BOTH AWKWARD AND SHY. NARUTO IS AN AWKWARD FLUFFBALL, AND HINATA HAS PINED FOR NARUTO FOR SO SO LONG, IT'S A MIRACLE SHE DIDN'T SPEND THE WHOLE LAST SEGMENT IN A FAINT xD

**Author's Note:**

> The chapters are mostly going to be from a mixture of naruto's p.o.v. and that of an omnipresent observer, so they might become somewhat introspective. And I'm not Japanese so I didn't take my chances and limited the use of nicknames and suffixes only for Naruto p.o.vs. 
> 
> Please don't curse me for sad Naruto. Naruto is radiant and cheerful on the outside, but that doesn't mean nothing affects him, in fact he's likely to be more affected by things considering that his empathy stems from being a very sensitive person at heart. I promise it gets happier. :'3


End file.
